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Molek FMOnitsuka Tiger Shoe Design Competition @ Zouk
Text Muna Noor
Image Onitsuka Tiger
Last month JUICE reported on the Onitsuka Tiger Electric Nite at Zouk. Preceding that event, the cult Japanese sneaker brand had initiated a shoe design competition with the champs revealed at the big bash. Against a backdrop of a neon lit Shibuya skyline, Muhamad Jamaludin Borhan name was announced as third placer and named winner of the Neon Green Award taking RM500 cash and RM500 worth of Onitsuka Tiger products for his effort. Speaking on his win, Muhamad Jamaludin said “I’m very happy to win this contest. I’m a big fan of Onitsuka Tiger! And I have a collection of Onitsuka Tiger products from every season. It’s fantastic! Keep it up and bring in more shoes. I want to buy more!” It could be divine providence – with his win, he’ll be togged out in even more Onitsuka Tiger real soon. Muhamad Jamaludin’s design was a tale of two cities merging the Japanese brand’s Tokyo cool with Malaysian landmarks like the Twin Towers.
Sam Siong Wee took second and the Blazing Fuchsia Award to net himself a whopping RM750 cash and RM 1000 worth of Onitsuka Tiger products for his fire tiger inspired design. Thrilled to be honoured, he was quick to proclaim his love for the brand saying, “I love the brand, it is trendy, the design is good, it’s colourful and it’s Japan!” Adding, “Let’s have more design contest, party and game events again!” which frankly JUICE reckons is a brilliant idea.
Ultimate glory was reserved for Teoh Shaw Gie. His Electric Blue Award-winning design, not only incorporated design work into the shoe but the shoe box, to win over the judges and snag him the top prize of RM1000 cash and RM1500 worth of Onitsuka Tiger products.
Yo! Sushi had laid out a mouth watering spread in the VIP area but after the Onitsuka Tiger fashion show concluded and the slew of prizes for the lucky draw were all given out, it was sneaker fans who were treated to a veritable feats for the eyes when they were finally given a chance to pour over and drool at the winning customised sneaker designs. For those of you who didn’t make it, here’s your chance to take a look at the results.
Eye of the Tiger
JUICE spoke with the triumphant three and here’s what they had to say about Onitsuka Tiger and the design competition.
Teoh Shaw Gie
1st Prize Winner: Electric Blue Award
What inspired his design: “This pair of Onitsuka Tiger Shoes represents my idea for “Electric Tiger Land” taking the inspiration from underground cult stories in Japan. I made it “Wild”. Wild means living in a natural state, without being cultivated. It is an electric-based jungle, built with green neon fluorescent lights, which highlights the theme and the incredible ambience and energy of Japan. The box was decorated as a stone to represent a tiger leaping onto a stone, thus portraying its power and energy.
What Shaw Gie says of his win: “I’m very happy and glad to win the very 1st Onitsuka Tiger Shoe Design Contest here in Malaysia. To me, the brand Onitsuka Tiger is interesting and I like their ingenious designs. I really love the brand. The event is great, really enjoyed it. Bring in on more events and let us know! Let’s Party!!”
Sam Siong Wee
2nd Prize Winner: Blazing Fuchsia Award
What inspired his design: “My design is created in a way to reflect the market’s culture today. Onitsuka Tiger has a vast range of uniquely designed sneakers, incorporated with no limit to colours, so it is a pleasure for me to create a pair of my own to add to this Tiger collection. The design represents a fire tiger, using red and silver.”
Muhamad Jamaludin B. Borhan
3rd Prize Winner: Neon Green Award
What inspired his design: My creation is a combination of two types of colours – striking and dark. This combination symbolises the electric theme with its attractive designs of buildings and tiger symbol. KLCC Tower was added to represent Malaysia, combined with two tigers on each side of the shoe. These designs were incorporated on the ever-loved Onitsuka Tiger classic pair of sneakers.”
For more Onitsuka Tiger, log on to www.onitsukatiger.com.